Bloodlines
by la-perla's mermaid
Summary: A strange woman appears in Miami and accidentally uncovers a large dark secret in the history of the Westen family, a secret not even Michael knew of


Phoenix software Technologies' HQ, Montreal, Canadá.

Analisse Renoir could barely contain her rage during the business meeting. She had a degree in engineering from MIT with a score of 4.0, she had presented by far the best project the company had ever seen and she was the daughter of the CEO. In a sane and righteous world she would be putting her project in action already but her daddy said it wasn't good enough, his exact words were. –"You did well Annie; you gave me exactly what I asked you to. But if you want to move forward in this company you have to give me better than good, even better than perfect. You have to deliver me something extraordinary, and this is not. You're young princess, it might seem like I'm being unfair to you but time will prove me right"-

If the final statement wasn't insulting enough his use of the word "princes" hit the spot. Many fathers call their daughters that way but hers used the word with scorn, as an insult. A princess was a prissy little spoiled brat that did nothing but sigh by the window waiting for a prince to save her ass. A princess wasn't worthy of respect and was never meant to rule the kingdom.

It was right in that meeting when she realized that no matter how good she was her dad would never let her go further than this, the crown would go to her half brother Lucien, offspring of his first wife.

After all she wasn't really his daughter; her mom was barren so they adopted her from some hell hole in the USA right after she was born. Analisse understood that the fact this man raised her was beside the point; bloodlines are the only thing that mattered.

Any other person with the turmoil of emotions inside would have had an explosive fit, but that wasn't the way she was raised. All the persons in that meeting thought she was weak and emotional just because she had breasts, to prove them wrong she stayed calm and stoic until the end of the meeting when Lucien was complimented by his arduous job.

Mister Armand Renoir did make a mistake though, he taught his daughter not to take shit from anyone. –"Nobody can make you sad or angry without paying for it, the moment that happens you show how weak you are and you'll loose everything"- that was his moddo.

-"Amen daddy"- Analisse whispered when she left that meeting. By the end of the week she would be working by his main competitor, if her project wasn't good enough she bet all the information she had over her father's company would be.

….

One week later she entered her new apartment after a long day of working in her new job, it was nowhere near as big as her family's manor but it was more than enough for her. The job at Electron International wasn't so bad either; unlike her previous employer they did appreciate her.

Inside the apartment nonetheless she was shocked to find her mother inside in her usual stiff manner while drinking tea, that woman had to use all her experience in diplomacy to stay out of the father-daughter quarrel.

-"Hey mom"- Analisse feared this conversation from the moment she resigned from her dad's company.

-"Hello Ally, enjoying your new life? I see how you downsized"-

Jacqueline Renoir said in well hidden distaste.

-"Mom I'm not in the mood so either you quit beating around the bush or…"-

-"Why did you quit?"- A hint of angst leaked from her cool façade.

-"Because I have no future in Phoenix and you know that! I'm not the one that will take care of the company, Lucien is. And you know I don't mind if dad chooses him over me, he's a boy and he has his DNA and I respect that, apparently that is all dad needs"- She had to take several breaths to calm herself. –"I only wished he deserved it even a little, but he's gonna ruin everything".-

Jacqueline looked at her daughter with puzzlement; she never thought Analisse would even consider something like that.

-"Is that what you think? That Armand prefers Lucien over you because you were adopted?"-

-"He's an incompetent jerk that does nothing but get in trouble yet dad always defend him, I work my ass off and all I get is pat on the back and a condescend critique so yes mom I think he's bias!"- The young woman was slapped in the face hard; Jacqueline's diamond ring left a red mark on her cheek.

It was the first time in her 27 years of age that any of her parents raised a hand over her, she didn't see it coming.

-"If you are done with your whining I suggest you shut up and listen carefully.

It's stupid from you part to even consider that we see you as anything other that our child, the fact that you are adopted is meaningless to both of us. Don't you understand that he is so demanding to you because he wants you to take over Phoenix after he retires? He can't make it too easy otherwise you wouldn't be prepared for it."-

-"But Lucien is the one that's gonna be in front of…"-

-"He will be the visible part of the company, after all it is a man's world, but the one pulling the strings will be you. Analisse you will inherit 70% of the shares, you will call the shots. The only reason Lucien will have the rest of the shares is because he's Armand's son and he wants him to have some sort of future. We all know that boy wouldn't make anything by his own, Armand could give him a million dollars today and he would be broke and homeless in less than a month."-

-"He's into coke mom, rumour says he's involved with nasty people"- Analisse said sadly, there had been a time when she did like him.

-"It would explain how money evaporates from his grasp, promise me that what I'm going to tell you will stay between us an no one else"-

The young woman sighed and nodded solemnly

-"Your father is in good health, but if something ever happened to him and you had to take over I strongly advise you to buy Lucien's share and get read of him. Offer twice the money if you have to, whatever the price will be cheap compared to what might happen if he stays around, he's worse than dead weight, he's a liability"-

-"I will mom, but I don't think I'll like it. Could rehab be an option?"-

-"Of course, he could become clean and responsible and even grow decent ideas on his damaged brain that could lead the company into the future"- She faked a dreamy stare.

-"You don't have to be so sarcastic"- Analisse scolded the older woman.

-"And you don't need to be so naïve, princess… now pack your belongings and come back home, your father is expecting you and Greta is making that vegetarian lasagne you like so much. Later on we'll find the way to fix the mess you made with Electron"-

The younger woman chuckled in defeat, yet the whole ordeal did bring a subject to light that had always been hidden from her grasp.

-"Mom… who were my biological parents?"-

Two weeks later…

Analisse ran for her life with no clue of how her entire reality was turned upside down. She woke up on the floor of her home's main hall covered in blood, her parents' blood, with no idea of what had happened, not even a recent memory that made sense. Their corpses laid a few feet from her; a large knife was placed on her hands.

She hadn't even began to focus when the police bursted through the door and tried to arrest her. If it wasn't for her fast feet and James, the family's loyal chauffeur that not only hid her but drove her as far as he could she would be in prison by now.

She knew that if imprisoned Lucien would take over the company along with all their inheritance, leaving her helpless behind bars with no chance to defend herself. Knowing that son of a bitch she might even get killed in prison, so her only chance of survival was to prove her innocence before she was found by the authorities.

Biological or not Analisse carried the Renoir name and she would disappoint her parents' memory if she let Lucien win, losing or giving up was never an option. Not only she would make her parents proud but she would also avenge their death, it was only a matter to figure out how and only when the dust was settled and all the responsible parties were punished she would allow herself to mourn her loss.

Escaping to the USA was a very good idea, especially since in that country resided the only person in the world that might help her, Madeleine Westen, who lived in Miami.


End file.
